Insole



June 13, 1939. H. M. GERMANSON 2,162,468

INSOL'IE Filed Dec. 9, 1957 .hivbarz M Gmmnmn Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes, and refers particularly to the construction of insoles for welt shoes.

Originally, the insoles of welt shoes were formed of one solid thickness. Later, insoles were made of superimposed laminae to permit the use of lighter, less expensive stock.

The present invention likewise'employs a laminated formation to permit theuse of less expensive stock, but contemplates an improvement over past constructions particularly with respect to the preparation of the edge of the insole for the attachment thereto of the shoe upper and welt.

A particular object of the invention is to form the insole of two superimposed laminae or plies, one of which is smaller than the other to give the edge of the sole a stepped formation providing a firm inner shoulder which defines the shape of the shoe and serves as a firm support against which the upper may be drawn during the inseaming operation.

Another object of this invention is to so construct a laminated insole that relative shifting of its laminae is positively precluded by having the stitches which secure the upper and welt to the insole pass through parts of both laminae.

Another object of this invention is to provide a laminated insole wherein the ribrto which the upper and welt are sewed is formed jointly by parts of both laminae.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substanticularly defined by the appended claims, it be ing understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims. 4 The accompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an insole blank;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through Figure l on the plane of the line 2-2, but showing the manner in which the cutting is done in the edge portions;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the edge portion ready for the attachment of a shoe upper and welt; and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through a portially as hereinafter described and more par tion of a welt shoe, illustrating the manner in which the upper and welt are sewed to the insole.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates generally an insole constructed in accordance with this invention and comprising an upper lamina or ply 6, and, a lower lamina or ply 1, secured together by cement or any other suitable adhesive.

As shown, the lower lamina I is smaller than the upper lamina so as to give the edge of the insole a stepped formation. Preferably, the lower lamina terminates at the heel where a separate pad 8 is secured to the bottom of the upper lamina 6.

After the two laminae are secured together, as shown in Figure 1, the edge portion of the smaller lower lamina has a channel In cut into its exposed surface toward its edge 9. This channel forms a flap ll notched or cut as at l2 to permit the same to be folded down, as shown in Figure 4, preparatory to the inseaming operation.

The overhanging edge portion of the upper larger lamina 6 is split as at 13, the cut forming the split extending inwardly to a point adjacent to the edge 9 of the smaller lower lamina. The lower marginal flap l4 formed by this cut is folded over the edge 9 and secured to the undersurface thereof by any suitable adhesive, as shown in Figure 3. In this manner, the two laminae are positively secured aganist relative shifting, and a rib or shoulder l5 formed of parts of each of the lamina is provided to receive the inseam stitches I6 which secure the welt l1 and the upper l8 to the insole, as shown in Figure 4. 35

With this particular manner of forming the rib or shoulder l5, it is to be noted that the flap I4 in extending substantially around three sides of the marginal edge portions of the lower lamina I greatly increases the thickness of material be.- low the overhanging edge portion of the larger lamina 6. It is thus seen that this construction allows the use of considerably thinner stock for shoe soles without sacrificing strength and rigidity at the inseam joint.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that this invention materially improves the construetion of laminated insoles for welt shoes, and that this improvement results from making the lower lamina smaller than the upper one for in this manner a definite guiding edge is provided to define the shape of the shoe and a firm shoulder results against which the upper may be drawn during the inseaming operation without danger of further splitting or tearing of the edge of the upper lamina.

It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art, that while the invention has been described with particular reference to an insole, it is also admirably suited for use in womens turn shoes. When so used, the larger lamina forms the actual outsole of the shoe which places the smaller lamina. uppermost, or on the inside of the shoe, a suitable sock lining being employed to cover the upper or inner surface of this smaller lamina. The use of this invention for this purpose has the advantage of overcoming the Weakest part of the sole in womens turn shoes as now constructed, which is along the edge of the sole where the channel is cut into the upper surface to provide the necessary rib to which the upper is sewed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A shoe sole of the character described comprising: two superimposed laminae, one of which is larger than the other so that the edge of the sole has a stepped formation; the edge of the larger lamina being split into two plies, and the ply adjacent to the smaller lamina being folded over the edge and lower marginal portions of said smaller lamina to form an enlarged shoulder therewith against which the shoe upper may be firmly drawn during the inseaming operation.

2. A shoe sole of the character described comprising: two superimposed laminae, one of which is smaller than the other; the overhanging edge portion of the larger lamina being split into two plies and the ply adjacent to the smaller lamina being folded over the edge and lower marginal portions of the smaller lamina to form an enlarged shoulder therewith; and the edge portion of the smaller lamina having a channel cut into its exposed surface to provide for sewing the shoe upper to the sole through the shoulder whereby the upper is firmly drawn against the shoulder during said sewing operation.

3. A shoe sole of the character described comprising: two superimposed laminae of relatively thin material, one of which is larger than the other so that the edge of the sole has a stepped formation; the edge of the larger lamina being split into two plies and the ply adjacent to the smaller lamina being folded over the edge and lower marginal portions of said smaller lamina to form an enlarged shoulder therewith extending outwardly beyond the lower marginal portions of said smaller lamina and against which the shoe upper may be firmly drawn during the inseaming operation.

HERBERT M. GERMANSON. 

